


What The Heart Wants For Christmas

by AnnieM



Series: The Ben and Meg series [1]
Category: due South
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 17:59:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8926762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnieM/pseuds/AnnieM
Summary: Four years after COTW Ben is at his post, during a snowy Christmas night.





	

**Author's Note:**

> My ship sails in to two ports. My captain will always be Meg Thatcher. This story is for RC, Frasers_soulmate, SLWalker, Tanya Reed, Exbex, Ride Forever, Desiree Armfeldt and all who supported me in my first year of writing! Thank you very kindly!
> 
> Allience owns Ben, Meg, Ray, Maggie and Buck. The rest are all my own. My lady love wishes I made money, but alas none.

Christmas 2002

Corporal Benton Fraser approached the front door of his post ( Eielson Pass ) on Christmas Eve evening at six pm. Since he was the only experienced single member of his post, he volunteered for the twelve hour shift. The newest constable to the post would be on radio standby, if needed. Since she was only two weeks out of the Depot; not familar with the area after dark, she could not do the duty by herself. Karen McMasters had been graciously offered to have holiday dinner and fun at their home by the post commander, Sgt. Cosgrove and his wife, so Ben would do the shift alone.

Eielson Pass was a post in the largest town, in a three hundred mile radius. The small town had a small airstrip and a general store; it had a mixture of Inuit huts and cabins in its center.

The post was maned by a twelve person company. Gone were the days of two man team handling thousands of miles by themselves. Buck Frobisher would laugh at this.

Ben thought Karen McMasters reminded him of two other female mounties he fondly remem-bered. She was five foot three inches, with a petite figure and light brown hair cut short. Almost like Maggie and Meg combined. Karen was alethic and friendly too all, not brash. She had duel degrees in forestry and criminal justice, so she was very smart. And she knew that she wanted to be a mountie by age ten. Ben wondered if this is how Meg was when she came out of Depot; before the office and diplomatic work took its toll.

When Ben stepped in to the door way to the small vestibule, where hats and coats were kept, he noticed a very pleasant smell. Going in to the main area he saw a small two foot tree with decorations and lights, and a couple of presents under it. On the front desk was a covered dish full of Christmas dinner with Christmas cookies for dessert.

Ben smiled and looked for a note, but one was not to be found. So he put the food in the post's small refrigerator and ate one of the cookies. He settled in for the evening, monitoring the radio and phone and the fast approaching snow storm.

Ben started to remember fondly the Christmas' he had spent at the Vecchio's home. All the crazy and noisey mornings with Maria and Tony's children. How excited they were on Christmas Eve. Ma Vecchio's cooking and how all gathered for Midnight Mass.

But Ben was back home in Canada in the Northwest Territories. He had decided against Tukoyaktuk and the memories of the place; he ask for a small posting about a half a day away from his cabin. Ben and Maggie, when she could come down, had spent the last four years fixing it up bit by bit.

It was just about done, but Ben felt he only wanted to live in it, if he had someone to share it with. Although he had some women offer with interest, he just could not shake Meg's memory. Yes, they had said thier goodbyes but Ben always felt that there was still a chance for them.

At midnight Ben ate his dinner; then checked out the gifts under the tree. Ben did not assume they were for him so he checked the tags. Both had his name on them. He opened the bigger one. It was from Maggie and Ray Kowalski.

Maggie and Ray had gotten married a year ago; after he had been shot severely in Chigaco and had to retire two years before. Ray had made Sergeant so his pension was good. Ben and Maggie sponsored him; with his full pension Canada let him stay. Ray persued Maggie with his blessing and they are very happy. They are hoping to have children some time soon.

Ben's gift was a portable music box (tape player-radio-CD). The second gift was a burner CD; with a plain white cover that had printed on it PLAY ME. 

So Ben set up the music box and put in the CD. Much to his astonishment, out came a voice he did not think he would ever here again! It was Meg singing, "Merry Christmas Darling". He was sure he had heard this song before, but struggled to remember by whom (The Carpenters).

When the song was thru Meg's voice said, "It's a womens perogative to change her mind. When I am thru with what I am doing, I WILL FIND YOU BEN"!

Ben was choked with emotion; then small tears came to his eyes. Meg still cared!! She still wanted him!! He went from lonely to a heart full of hope for love. It was the best present he could hope for.

The rest of the night went relatively smoothly. A couple of romantic teenagers went skating in the snowfall, on a small ice pond. The ice in the very middle was a bit thin and was cracking. Fortunately it did not completely break. Ben was able to pull them to safety by tossing larriat style a rope and pull them to safer ice.

By noon on Christmas, Constables French and Jenkins came in to relieve him. Both had spent Christmas Eve and morning with their family and were all aglo with cheer. Ben listened to tales of children unwrapping gifts and morning church. Ben was pleased to have been a small help in that reguard.

Grabbing his gifts and wishing "Happy Christmas" to the constables; Ben headed to his small Inuit hut that was his home here. No electricity for his music box, but he could get batteries; just so he could listen to Meg's voice when he wanted to. Smiling he finally fell asleep.

Ben wrote a thank you letter to Ray and Maggie. He let them know that Meg had sent the CD. He kept to himself what had been said. He hoped they knew how to contact her and would simply tell her "Yes"!

One Year Later 

Now Sergeant Benton Fraser took the Christmas Eve night shift again. He arrived at six p.m. to find his three constables outside waiting for him. Jenkins and Frayzak were coming off shift; McMasters would be with Ben for the evening. They all just smiled at him and wished him a "Happy Christmas" and left in a hurry.

Ben was just about to call McMasters back when she shouted, "Some officer shooed us out and said that it was their duty shift." Ben shook his head and slowly opened the door not knowing who or what was going on. After removing his hat and coat he entered the main area.

OH, WHAT A SIGHT! 

A six foot real decorated Christmas tree, with lights, was glowing. The post was decorated and Christmas music played in the background. A feast, (brought in from Ottawa), gave off a wonderful aroma. Ben amazed called out "Excuse me is someone here"?

Then out from the Sergeants office came the most wonderous site. Meg Thatcher in her Superindtendent's Red Serge stepped out and said, "I hope you do not mind if I do Christmas duty with you tonight? I brought coco, cookies and Christmas music to pass the time."

Ben could only stutter, "Tha---that----sounds good"!

Meg smiled, then rushed to Ben and kissed him for a solid three minutes. When they both finally let go Meg said, "Happy Christmas! As a reward for my efforts, the RCMP waived the rule for us to be involved and get married, if we wish. If YOU WANT TO, we could maybe date for a time, see if you still feel like you did, and if so; maybe we could get married and you could help with that process I was interested in, the old fashioned way of course?"

Ben was so excited but was also a bit wary. But his heart finally kicked his head to the curb and said, "Dating is fine! There are not a great deal of restraunts, movie theatres or museums here. I could show you some natural wonders and intoduce you to some great people. If you still feel like getting married, then maybe we could find some place not so cold all the time, and live there. And as for that process, I would be most agreeable to it at the proper time"!

Meg just beamed and answered excitedly, "That is the best Christmas gift ever given to me! I do not need a big city just a reasonable town to be close by. I would like a three room cabin for children and a wonderful view. But most of all I would just want you as my husband"!

Ben took Meg in his arms and responded, "As long as you wear red I will follow. Home is where the heart is and mine will always be with you"!

For the rest of the shift they told each other about the last five years, as much as could be voiced and ate their dinner. They went out to break up a small party of drunks in the town center and sent them home.

Since it was a clear night, they stared at the Northern Lights and Ben and Meg made their wishes. Then later they made a patrol in the crusier seeing some of the natural wonders that could be seen at night; and the surrounding homes decked in Christmas splendor.

They spent the morning building a Mountie snowman to greet everyone. When Johnson and French reported in at noon, they were surprised to see a Superintendent at the Eielson Pass post. Meg wished them "Happy Christmas", put some coco and cookies out, and then she and Ben left for their own private Christmas day celebration!

PS: 

Meg had gotten in touch with Sergeant Buck Frobisher, who contacted Ray and Maggie. Bob Fraser had asked Buck to look after his little girl. Ray let them know that Ben was still thinking of her, so they planned the small tree, music box and CD. The post Sergeant, (Sgt Cosgrove), was an old Depot mate of Buck and set it up.

**Author's Note:**

> May the season bring you all the warmth and happiness you desire. Please be kind to those who have no one with them for the season.


End file.
